TRENDS, TRAVEL, FILM, HISTORY and BOOKS

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS – SOURCE: Department of Defense

Humanitarian Assistance Operations Near Sinjar, Iraq

The U.S. military conducted another successful airdrop of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Mount Sinjar, Iraq.

This airdrop was conducted from multiple airbases within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and as with last night, included one C-17 and two C-130 cargo aircraft that together dropped a total of 72 bundles of supplies. The cargo aircraft were escorted by two F/A-18s from the USS George H.W. Bush.

The C-17 dropped some 40 container delivery system bundles of meals ready to eat and was complemented by a C-130 loaded with an additional 16 bundles totaling 28,224 meals. In addition, one C-130 dropped 16 bundles totaling 1,522 gallons of fresh drinking water.

To date, in coordination with the government of Iraq, U.S. military aircraft have delivered 36,224 meals and 6,822 gallons of fresh drinking water, providing much-needed aid to Iraqis who urgently require emergency assistance.

The United States military will continue to work with the Department of State as well as international partners including the Government of Iraq, the United Nations, and non-government organizations to assess the need for additional humanitarian operations in Iraq going forward.

MISSION MEALS

Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron palletize halal meals for a humanitarian airdrop mission over Iraq, Aug. 7, 2014, at a base in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The humanitarian aid includes bottled water and food which was delivered to displaced citizens in the vicinity of Sinjar, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)

WATER CARGO

Water bundles align a C-17 Globemaster III prior to a humanitarian air drop, Aug. 8, 2014, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron aircrew, air dropped 40 bundles of water for Iraqi refugees during a humanitarian air drop over Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)

ON THIS DAY ….

SOURCE: African American Registry

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born this day August 9th, 1963. Singer, model, actress and entertainer, Houston won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female and an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in A Variety Program on TV. Read more.

SOURCE: PBS – POV 15 to Life: Kenneth’s Story

Does sentencing a teenager to life without parole serve society? Following a Florida man who received four life sentences at age 15, this eye-opening film reveals a justice system that routinely condemns young Americans to die in prison. Read more.

“KNOCK KNOCK WHOOZ THERE?” — A GHETTO TALE BY MARVIN GRIFFIN

SOURCE: BlackNews.com

“… Prisons today represent a kind of break from the rest of the world’s mindset on incarceration,” [where deprivation is deep], “that it challenges our conception of what America truly is … ” The subject of prisons pose the thought-provoking question: ” … what steps should be taken to help change society’s negative perception of prisoners and ex-felons?

Marvin Griffin to get his insight with respect to prisoners responsibility not only to themselves [as convicts] but their community they someday wish to reenter. Once upon a time, Marvin hosted a myriad of street aliases, i.e. , Prince Nivram, Norman Bates, Robbing Marvin, and Mitch just to name a few.

These generic sobriquets earned him the rightful presumption of guilt as being labeled an emphatic thug who albeit became a legend in the so-called game! Today, however, Marvin is wearing another name, one of which many may argue threatens to taint his legendary status instead of enhancing it. He’s now commonly referred to as “Inmate” Marvin Griffin Reg. #57836-004; by virtue of being duly convicted in 1998 by a jury of his so-called peers.

That is to say, this once charming, brown skin, soft-spoken individual with a narrow build — in the sense of a physical specimen — emceed his role as a hustler — met his fate one day trying to steal 6 kilograms of cocaine from his once partner in crime, Danny Felton, a former city of Miami Police Officer, turned government informant.

In a twisted game of greed, disloyalty, betrayal, and awkward fate, the drugs Marvin so desperately coveted turned out to be sham packages: and the actual drug deal turned out to be a reverse-sting operation orchestrated by the FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation; corruption unit doing a joint investigation with Internal Affairs on police corruption in the Miami-Liberty City area.

In the end, while the corrupt cop walked away scot-free, Marvin wasn’t so lucky. He received 30 years in prison [albeit] with no chance of parole. Thus far he’s already served 17 years and with the exception to the greying of his beard and receding hairline you’d never know he’s two years shy of being 50 years old.

To facade this reality, he occasionally rocks a crown and keeps an electric razor handy to elude the inevitable tolling of father times. In a more ironical sense, he blames his growing ball to the weight of his lengthy dreads that hang just above his scrawny knees. Yet, in spite of his underpinnings, Marvin maintains he’s a reformed and redeemed prisoner who’s not only worthy of reentering his community but that society should accept him with open arms. To his credit, Marvin claims he’s managed to do more with his time, seeking to accomplish more than the average individual in the free world. “Had it not been for prison, there’s no telling where I would be today.” He chides, dreamily: “Probably Dead!”“Where urban fiction hip-hop literature comes to life.

To take place in Washington, DC on Saturday, August 16, 2014 at the University of the District of Columbia’s Theatre of the Arts. Photo Courtesy: BlackNews.com

Washington, DC – Farafina Kan: The Sound of Africa is proud to present BIRTHRIGHT: 10th Anniversary Celebration – an elegant evening of pure energy & sheer grace in honor of the spirit of sharing and cultural legacy inspired by West African Dance and Drumming. On this night, attendees will witness inter-generational performance and the stellar result of an active and intentional transmission of African cultural values, performance, movement and rhythm from one generation to the next with performances by the entire Farafina Kan Family.

Performances will be given by the children’s ensemble (ages 3 – 7), the youth ensemble (age 7 – 12), the junior company (ages 13 – 19), and the adult professional company.

The celebration kicks off with a Red Carpet & VIP Reception beginning at 5:30 pm sponsored by Diamond District Wines, Koncious Caterers and Asli Pure co-hosted by the Honorable Omar Arouna, Ambassador to Benin with a live performance by the DuPont Brass Band. Other dignitaries and special invited guests include other African Ambassadors, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Members of the DC City Council, and other elite cultural stakeholders of Washington, DC.

Farafina Kan literally translates to “The Sound of Africa”, and they are a professional inter-generational African performing arts company based in the Washington, DC Metro Area. They pride themselves in maintaining the history, traditions, and culture of Africa through the arts. They focus on the Mandingue ethnic groups of West Africa to include Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea (Conakry), Ivory Coast, and more. Farafina Kan is directed by two brothers – Mahiri Fadjimba Keita and Diallo Sumbry – both who are life-long African cultural artists and youth development ambassadors.

BIRTHRIGHT is sponsored in part by Busboys and Poets and The Anacostia Art Gallery and Boutique, and will take place on Saturday, August 16, 2014 at the University of the District of Columbia Theatre of the Arts.

The doors open to the general public a BIRTHRIGHT is sponsored in part by Busboys and Poets and The Anacostia Art Gallery and Boutique, and will take place on Saturday, August 16, 2014 at the University of the District of Columbia Theatre of the Arts.t 7:00 pm and the concert starts at 7:30 pm.